


foul play

by eyeronicmuch



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Football | Soccer, M/M, Rivalry, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:00:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25910965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eyeronicmuch/pseuds/eyeronicmuch
Summary: Yuta says, “Okay, then I propose this: you and I will compete against each other. If I win against you in football, then my team gets the budget, if you win against me in swimming, then yours.”Ten thinks for a moment and then grunts, “Okay.”With his honour on the line, he can’t possibly tell Yuta that he can’t swim, not even if he drowns tomorrow.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Nakamoto Yuta
Comments: 12
Kudos: 150
Collections: the eyes are the window to the soul





	foul play

**Author's Note:**

> a huge thank you to sonny for letting me join on a short notice and to vee for helping me brainstorm, i love you both! 
> 
> sorry this is a bit of a mess djjd but yuten rise!!

Ten thinks, a day is not a day without him arguing with Yuta one way or another.

Today the reason behind their argument besides their usual passive aggressive remarks is because of the annual budget division for all the university’s sports teams. Some expenses were high last year, so the Head of the athletic program came to a conclusion that there will be a cut in the budget, and the captains of the teams should decide between themselves who’ll pass up on money. 

Everyone ultimately decided on a game of rock paper scissors. And Ten, being the unlucky person that he is, ended up losing to eight out of ten captains until it’s only him and Yuta left in the circle. The other captains have all left the staff room, so he and Yuta are truly alone. 

Yuta’s right hand is balled into a fist, ready to play. There’s just something in the atmosphere, in Yuta’s determined expression, that just makes Ten want to fight back somehow. Yuta has that effect on him, his annoying grin always gets on his nerves. 

He doesn’t know for how long they’ve been at each other’s throats, or how it all even started in the first place. He just remembers that one time he bumped into this boy with long red hair in the hallways and he sent the project in his hands flying down. Ten cursed him out under his breath and the boy apologized, helping Ten stand up and piecing the project back together, and everything would have been nice if left on that note. But as it turned out, that boy was called Yuta and he was the new swimming team’s captain with a dislike for football, and from then onwards everything just got out of hand. 

They got off at the wrong foot. First, it was the first interaction where Yuta accidentally dented Ten’s project. Then, it was them sharing the locker rooms. Initially, they were solely for the football team and it was perfect until Yuta came to the Head and demanded the swimming team gets bigger lockers and Ten was forced to share. 

The thing is, Ten would’ve agreed to share if Yuta had just talked to him. Ten isn’t a mean or stingy person by any means, and really, if Yuta had come up to him and discussed the whole ordeal with him Ten would’ve said yes without a problem. But for some reason Yuta took the matter straight to the higher ups like he didn’t _want_ to talk to Ten, and that action rubbed Ten in the wrong way. He felt like Yuta didn’t like him, and it just confused Ten because if anything, _he_ should be the one disliking Yuta, not the other way round.

Ten would’ve thought that it’s objectively a little petty and it’s stupid to keep up with an old grudge even after a year, but he can’t let it go. It’s not about the project–it wasn’t ruined completely and he got a good mark for it–and it wasn’t about the locker rooms–they were too big for one team either way; he just can’t let it go when he’s disliked for no good reason. Ten is an amiable person, he has many friends and he’s well respected on campus amongst his peers. He’s done nothing wrong, and yet he has Yuta act arrogant towards him. He comes for Ten’s team and his sport completely unprovoked, and Ten? Ten has no choice but to retort in the same way. 

Now Yuta’s hair is brown and it’s even longer, and isn’t it uncomfortable to swim with hair like that? Not that Ten cares or anything. It just makes no sense. Yuta asking Ten to pass up on the budget for his stupid swimming pool makes absolutely no sense.

“No way,” Ten tells him, his own hand ready for the game. “My team needs the budget more.”

“How so?” Yuta asks him, tone almost mocking. “All you do is just kick a ball, you don’t need extra money to do that.”

“Just like you don’t need extra money to float in the water,” Ten narrows his eyes. “Anyone can do that.”

“Oh really?” Yuta asks. “You’re saying you can do a freestyle stroke? A timed backstroke?”

“It’s no big deal,” Ten answers, relaxing his fist and crossing his arms. He watches as Yuta gets more riled up with each second.

“Don’t look down on swimming just because you’re the captain of a popular sport,” Yuta scoffs. “We train just as hard as you.”

“Yeah, of course you do,” Ten says, “because moving your arms while buoyant is _so_ difficult, you need extra budget for that. You know what we need it on? Something _actually_ useful like new cleats and shin guards.”

“Cleats?” Yuta asks, as if in disbelief at the ridiculousness. “We need the budget to rent out the pool. Do you even know how expensive it is? Or you’d rather we spend monthly on pool club membership, which much more costly if you haven’t realized. Your precious football shoes can wait.”

“No they can’t,” Ten sighs. “Listen, the football team is going to have a match soon. We are so close to breaking out into the semifinals. We need this budget.”

Yuta doesn’t look amused. “And? The swimming team competes with other universities just like you do.”

“Yeah, but at least people want to see us score a goal. No one wants to watch a bunch of college kids dive into a pool,” Ten retorts. 

“Let me tell you, Ten,” Yuta says, straightening his posture in an attempt to look taller than Ten but not quite managing, “people actually do come and watch swimming competitions.” 

“Alright, let me rephrase that. At least our team actually brings trophies for the university.”

Yuta’s amicable expression slips. He’s not quite angry, but he does look like he’s trying to contain himself. Ten smirks at his victory. 

“Okay,” Yuta says, crossing his arms, something akin to a challenge sparking in his glowing eyes that Ten doesn’t like. “Then I propose this: you and I will compete against each other. If I win against you in football, then my team gets the budget, if you win against me, then yours.”

He completely forgets about rock paper scissors. “Easy,” Ten scoffs. “But why are we going with my sport and not yours?”

“To make sure the chances of winning are fair,” Yuta smiles, “since you claim to be a pro at swimming.”

Ten doesn’t appreciate the teasing tone. “Alright. And if we end up in a draw?”

“Why, are you not confident in your abilities?” Yuta laughs. “You sounded much more sure minutes ago.”

“Shut up,” Ten snaps. “I’m just worrying for your pride. It would quite embarrassing to lose to me.”

“How sweet,” Yuta coos, almost mockingly, “only I don’t need your concern. If we tie then we can try to outswim each other. What do you say?”

Ten thinks for a moment and then grunts, “Okay.”

“Great,” Yuta smiles. “Then, tomorrow, have a jersey ready for me.”

Ten returns the smile, although it’s a bit strained and thin-lipped. When Yuta walks away Ten finally takes a deep exhale, deflating. His honour was on the line here, and he couldn’t have possibly told Yuta that he doesn’t know how to swim. 

He meets up with Jaehyun, his friend and teammate, an hour later in the library and relays him the news.

“You did what?” Jaehyun asks him like he’s grown two heads. “Are you insane?”

Ten gives him a glare. “What could have I said? Oh, that’s right, I can’t swim. Funny, right?”

“No, like, you could have just done the rock paper scissors thing.”

Ten reasons, “I might have lost that. It was a 50/50 chance. And you know I can’t say no to a challenge.”

“Why not?”

“Why?” Ten asks himself. “It’s _Yuta_. I can’t lose to him.”

“Is it because of the locker rooms?” 

“No,” Ten frowns, “not at all. I’m over that. It’s different.”

“Hm,” Jaehyun says, “honestly, I don’t get your rivalry. It’s kinda stupid. What did Yuta even do to you?” Ten opens his mouth, but Jaehyun cuts him off, “And don’t even try talking about your project literal semesters ago, man. It’s ancient history.”

“It’s not this either,” Ten says, “you don’t get it. He dislikes me for zero reason. What did _I_ ever do to him? I don’t understand it and it pisses me off.”

“I don’t think he dislikes you,” Jaehyun says, “in between practice I see him trying to make small talk with you, but you always snap at him.”

“So that he wouldn’t be the first to shit at our team and sport,” Ten says. “It’s so tiring to hear him talk about it, like, we get it! You hate football. Good for you.”

Jaehyun gives him a look. “Maybe he’s not trying to start shit with you. Maybe he just wants to chat or something.”

“Yeah, right,” Ten says, “next thing you know he wants to be friends, or even better,” he laughs, “boyfriends.” 

Jaehyun says, “I mean…”

“Seriously?” Ten raises his eyebrows. “No way.”

“I mean, you’re the one declining his follow requests on Instagram.”

“I don’t want to fraternize with the enemy,” Ten scoffs. 

“You just sound plain stupid now,” Jaehyun tells him. “Maybe at first things between you were rocky but Yuta’s been trying to make things better but you won’t let him. Think about it.”

Ten whines, “I don’t think. And dude, I was out there defending the honour of our team and you say it’s stupid? The annual budget isn’t a joking matter, Jaehyun, you know we need the money.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Jaehyun says, still unsure, “but honestly I don’t think accepting Yuta’s proposition was a good idea.”

Ten pats his back with a smile. “I’m sure we’ll be fine. I doubt Yuta’s good at football anyway. He’s a swimmer, not a ball kind of guy. I’m in my element here.”

“I don’t know,” Jaehyun murmurs, “Johnny told me he was pretty good at football as a kid.”

“Do you believe in your captain or not?” Ten asks, slinging a hand around Jaehyun’s neck. Jaehyun squeaks and says he does, and Ten ruffles his hair and leaves it at that. They study for a while and then Ten heads back to the dorms feeling confident about kicking Yuta’s ass in football tomorrow. 

—

Ten is wrong. Embarrassingly wrong.

Yuta, as it turns out, is incredibly good at football. And it’s not even the fact that Yuta is good at the sport that pisses Ten off, it's the fact that he looks effortlessly _good_ while maneuvering the ball like it's the most natural thing to do.

“Having a hard time, Captain?” Yuta calls, the ball under his foot. Ten wants to wipe the grin off his face.

Ten takes pride in being the team captain. He’s played football since he was a child, the black and white ball and the field being his earliest memories. His parents have boasted about him possessing a pure raw talent, and that fact has always fueled Ten to work harder and train better. He’s played against many other talented people, but even then Ten has felt his power over them, even if it’s only by a little. 

With Yuta it is not the case right now. He scores goals easily, slides the ball out of Ten’s reach, and it’s infuriating. It’s like he’s giving Ten a run for his money not only as a captain, but as a football player, too. 

It ends in the afternoon in a tie. 

What a sleazy bastard, Ten thinks, picking out football meanwhile he’s this good at it. Ten almost wants to laugh at the irony. Yuta is very sly and unfair. 

Ten tries to sound nonchalant, yet he can’t push down the escaping pants as he says, with a stuttering breath, “That was a close one.”

The summer sun is hot and its rays hit the football field at the worst angle. Yuta and Ten have been running for an hour, and Ten is sure he’s more than dehydrated. 

“Yeah,” Yuta replies, his voice hoarse as he runs a rand through his damp from sweat hair. Ten tears his eyes away from him. “You’re good.”

“I should be saying that to you,” Ten says sarcastically. “I didn’t know you played.”

“It was just a childhood hobby,” Yuta cracks a shameless smile, dries his forehead with the front of his shirt, revealing firm muscles underneath. “I used to play football when I was younger. It was kind of nice, I won’t lie. We should play again.”

Ten kind of wants to grimace. Yuta doesn’t sound guilty or remorseful, he sounds confident as he always does. It grates on his nerves. “So this is why you picked football instead of swimming, oh great Ronaldo.”

Yuta smiles at him, “You never opposed that.”

“I didn’t know you could play!”

Yuta laughs, “I’ve been out of practice for literal years. And it’s not like you can’t swim or anything.”

Ten doesn’t say anything precisely because Yuta has hit the target. 

He thinks, this is why Yuta doesn’t like football, because of a childhood trauma or something close to that. It makes sense. Either he didn’t get into the school team or something along those lines so he switched to swimming. Ten can tell that from the muscles on Yuta’s calves, the speed and agility he possesses, the precision with which he scored the goals. Only someone who’s trained long and hard can do that. How hasn’t Ten noticed sooner? 

He sighs. Is this why Yuta doesn’t like him? Because Ten is a captain and Yuta isn’t doing football anymore? Ten thinks, if his assumptions are correct, then in the long run he has the upper hand here. He plops down onto the grass and says, “So, the match was a tie.”

“Yeah,” Yuta breathes out, “I guess I’ll see you by the pool tomorrow.”

Ten nods. He really doesn’t know how to do this, he really didn’t think things through. But he also doesn’t know how to back down from a challenge, and he can’t just say he can’t swim, his pride and ego are too big for that, so he prays to whoever is out there above him that he’ll miraculously survive the next day. 

They trudge through the field to the locker rooms. It’s funny, Ten thinks, how his and Yuta’s lockers are exactly across each other’s. Yuta takes off his shirt and hits the showers, and Ten really really hates how good Yuta’s broad back looks when he flexes his muscles. Swimmer perks. Ten closes his locker with a bang and thinks of showering at home. He then realizes it’s not a smart idea and goes to shower only after Yuta finishes. He slips past him and washes his body quickly, then gets ready just as quick meanwhile Yuta blow dries his hair.

Long hair really does suit him, Ten briefly thinks.

He slings his sports bag over his shoulder and mutters a goodbye to Yuta. Yuta turns off his blow drier and for a second Ten thinks the smile Yuta sends him is genuine, but then it turns into a subtle smirk and Ten frowns. 

“Jerk,” Ten says as he walks out. 

“Can’t wait to see you tomorrow too!” Yuta calls his way. 

—

In retrospect, this really wasn’t a good idea. Ten has never learnt how to swim. He tried when he was little, but either it didn’t work out or he forgot, and so now he’s here in this really stupid situation.

How the hell is he going to compete with Yuta like this? He’s literally going to drown.

And yet, Ten is stubborn and prideful and he refuses to back down. He stands by the edge of the university’s swimming pool in his high school swimming trunks and stares at the blue water. It’s cold, and it’s deep, and Ten already has many regrets.

Yuta appears beside him. He has swimming goggles hanging over his neck and his hair is tied up into a ponytail instead of wearing a swimming cap like usual.

“Are you ready?” he asks teasingly.

“Yeah,” Ten croaks. Yuta then dives into the water and floats back up easily, like a fish in water. Ten diverts his attention from Yuta’s broad chest, his shoulders, his biceps, and focuses on his dilemma. 

“Okay,” Yuta says from the pool. “So I was thinking we could do a butterfly stroke until the other end of the pool.” Ten wants to cry. It’s fifty meters long. He doesn’t even know what the hell a butterfly stroke even is. “Whoever reaches the other end faster wins.”

“Yeah,” Ten says. He inches closer to the water, eyes wide. Fright is starting to bubble inside of him.

Yuta swims to the edge of the pool and puts on his goggles. “Are you ready?”

Ten looks at the depth of the pool and feels his mind blank out.

“Ten?” Yuta asks again. “Hello?”

“Yuta,” Ten whispers, “I can’t swim.”

“You what?”

And then it’s almost comedic cinema, how it happens. As Ten inches forward to the water, he somehow slips on the wet tiles, and he feels himself falling forward, and God, he’s actually falling like an idiot.

It happens in a fraction of a second, but Ten swears he feels his life flash before his eyes. He closes his eyes as he lets out a screech and braces himself for the coldness as he hits the water, he braces himself for death, really, but the latter doesn’t come. For better or worse. 

He feels strong arms wrap around him in a second and bring him back to the surface. Water has gotten up Ten’s nose so he coughs when he takes a deep breath, and wow. He’s alive. Yuta’s looking down at him, something akin to worry etched over his face, and if Ten didn’t want to die before, he certainly wants to die now. 

“Are you okay?” Yuta asks.

“Yeah,” Ten wheezes. Yuta is still holding him. “Just peachy.”

“So you really can’t swim. Why didn’t you tell me? Are you stupid?”

Ten closes his eyes again. “Please, just drop me. Let me sink.”

“No,” Yuta says, his hold around Ten’s body tightening. He swims to the edge and pulls Ten up by his armpits. Ten lies on the tiles and doesn’t get up. He feels like a dead fish. 

“You saved me,” Ten says from the floor in a monotonous voice, looking up at Yuta, who’s crouched over him. It’s a sudden realization. “You actually saved me.”

“You think I’d let you drown?” Yuta laughs. He sits down next to Ten and dips his feet back into the water. “Yeah, right.”

“You might as well have,” Ten says, “considering you hate me so much.”

“I don’t hate you,” Yuta says, sounding surprised. “Why would you think that?”

“Really now?” Ten asks. “Wonder why I could have gotten the wrong idea then. Ugh, forget it. Does this mean I lost?”

“You’re an idiot,” Yuta says, voice unusually devoid of any sarcasm. He flicks Ten’s forehead. “Why did you agree to do this if you don’t know how to swim?”

“My pride was at stake.”

“And your life wasn’t?” Yuta raised a brow. God, he’s so attractive sometimes, Ten thinks. He really would have rather drowned. “I guess this doesn’t count. You can’t swim, so.” 

“I see,” Ten replies. “What do we do?”

“We could do a soccer rematch?” Yuta asks.

“You’re so wrong for that match, by the way,” Ten says. “It was foul play.”

“I’m sorry,” Yuta laughs, “I really didn’t know you couldn’t swim. You said it was easy and that you were good whenever we bickered. I thought we were fair.”

“I never said I was good,” Ten groans. 

Yuta thinks, “Well, if you don’t want to play football again then you could give up the budget to me.”

Ten gets up on his elbows and frowns. “No way.”

“Well, it was worth a shot,” Yuta laughs.

“Listen,” Ten sits up properly and sighs. “I’m sorry for all this. Looking down on on your sport when I can’t even swim myself. I guess you’re right, anyone can kick a ball.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m the one who’s sorry. Football is really competitive. I didn’t make the cut to team back home,” Yuta lets out a small humourless laugh. “But my personal failures don’t excuse my dislike for the sport. I’m sorry for that.”

Ten was right. He smiles, “I can understand that.”

“I feel really bad for arguing with you so often,” Yuta sighs. “I know you’re a good guy, but sometimes, you just…”

“I just what?” Ten asks, curious.

“You always fight back, you know,” Yuta gestures his hands in the air, “I couldn’t find a friendly approach to you after everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“Things kind of escalated, I guess,” Yuta explains.”

“Well, I’m sure you can understand where I was coming from. Like the locker room situation? That was low.”

“I was intimidated,” Yuta says, “I didn’t know how to talk to you, I mean I did bump into your project and sent it flying down. I felt so bad, I was afraid you would hate me so I just talked to the Head about it.”

“Oh,” Ten replies. So maybe he wasn’t right after all. That means what Yuta is saying is that most of their feud was a misunderstanding? That can’t be right. 

Yuta extends his hand. He looks almost shy. “Truce?”

Ten knows it’s a way of Yuta reaching out to bury down the pettiness and the arguments that have accumulated over the year, but he’s too hesitant to take it. He says, “We still need to do something about the money.”

“I could teach you how to swim,” Yuta suggests, shrugging. His hair is starting to dry, curling around the edges, sparse water droplets falling off it. 

Ten laughs, “Yeah, right.” Then, more seriously, “Are you for real?”

Yuta shrugs. “It’s a good skill. And we still have to race each other.”

“You’re setting me up,” Ten says, “you’ll win either way.”

“You never know,” Yuta replies. “I could give you a head start.”

Ten thinks for a moment and then says, “You know what? Sure. I have nothing to lose anymore. My dignity? My pride? They’re all gone. You’ve seen me at my lowest, congratulations.”

“You would be at your lowest if I hadn’t rescued you from the bottom of the pool, literally.”

“Literally shut up,” Ten elbows him. “Why are pools even this deep?”

“Three meters is pretty fine,” Yuta says, grinning. “Good for diving.”

“Oh, Christ, I’d rather die.”

Yuta laughs. “Same time same place,” he says, standing up. “I’ll get you floaties.”

Ten feels his ears flare up. “Don’t tell anyone about this.”

“Sure,” the smile never seems to leave Yuta’s face. “Your secret is safe with me.”

Ten searches for any hint of malice or sarcasm in Yuta’s expression, but finds none. He relaxes. “We could start today.”

Yuta cocks a brow. “But I don’t have any water wings on me right now. Although if you want to hold onto my arms, just say so.”

“Idiot,” Ten finds himself chuckling. He stands up and runs a hand through his hair. “Over confident, aren’t we?”

“What?” Yuta smirks, “I saw you ogling my body. You’re not as slick as you think you are.”

Ten shakes his head, “I have bad eyesight, you must have misunderstood. Sorry to disappoint.” 

It’s somehow not awkward to joke around with Yuta like this. Ten had expected, more tension, but somehow their conversation is light and teasing. It’s… nice, for a change.

“Ah, what a shame,” Yuta jokingly pouts, “I guess this just means you’ll have to see me closer.”

Yuta steps closer, but Ten steps back. He pokes his chest with a grin of his own, “You think you can hate me for a year and then start flirting with me like nothing? Try harder.”

“Do you know how hot you are when you’re all riled up?” Yuta retorts.

“Harder,” Ten says. 

“You are,” Yuta breathes out, “when your eyes start gleaming and your voice drops low, it drives me crazy sometimes.”

“So that’s why you made jabs at me daily, huh? You’re insufferable,” Ten says back. 

“Maybe I just wanted to see your reactions. Have you ever thought of that?” Yuta asks.

“No, I haven’t,” Ten replies. 

“Well, you should have,” Yuta smiles. There’s something playful in his voice, but also something serious. 

“I don’t get you, Yuta, do you hate me or not?”

“I already said I never hated you,” Yuta says. Ten gives him a look and Yuta sighs. “Not you specifically. The sport, maybe, but never you. Listen, we got off at the wrong foot at the start and all I could do is keep up with the passive aggressiveness in order to keep your attention on me.” 

“Interesting.”

“How could I hate you?” Yuta says. “When you’re so pretty.”

Ten steps close to him. He puts his arm on Yuta’s shoulder and Yuta looks mildly surprised. Ten runs his hand to the front of Yuta’s chest. “You sure know how to sweet talk.”

“Is it working though?” Yuta asks.

“Hm? No,” Ten says easily and pushes Yuta into the pool with a grin.

Yuta falls with a yelp. Water splashes everywhere and Ten cackles at the image of Yuta’s eyes widening before he fell with a thud. Yuta emerges from the water with disbelief in his eyes. “Ten, you…”

“Me what?” Ten grins and crouches down by the edge. 

And then it’s almost poetic cinema, how it happens. Ten doesn’t expect Yuta to swim to the edge, dive up and pull Ten down with him into the pool, although he really should have. It happens so fast, all Ten can do let out a scream. Is Yuta going to drown him? Ten can’t go like this. He’s young and handsome and with a future ahead of him. He mentally kisses goodbye to all the cats he won’t adopt if he dies.

Ten lives. He rises to the surface with a deep breath, noticing Yuta has his arms around him again only after he opens his eyes. He wants to thrash and push Yuta away, but instead he only holds tighter onto his shoulders in order to not sink. 

Yuta does have firm muscles. Shit. 

Yuta smiles at him. “Now we’re even.” His arms are around Ten’s waist, his touch feeling hot even though the water in the pool is cold.

It’s then when Ten realizes that they’re in the middle of a deep swimming pool and that Yuta’s hold is slippery. Ten loops his arms around Yuta’s neck for better support so that he wouldn’t drown and Yuta’s eyes widen in the same way but then settle on something more… cocky. He takes Ten’s thigh and puts it close to his hip, and wow, his audacity, he’s gone crazy, hasn’t he. 

“You’re seriously insufferable,” Ten breathes out, circling his legs around Yuta’s waist fully, Yuta holding him up. He looks up at Ten with mischievousness in his eyes. 

Ten unties Yuta’s ponytail and runs his hand through Yuta’s hair, then settles it at the back of Yuta’s neck. He feels Yuta faintly shiver under his touch when his fingertips brush over the skin.

“Strong, aren’t you,” Ten murmurs. 

“Mhm,” Yuta says, and then when he looks up at Ten, his eyes sparkle a little. He parts his lips, and leans in a little, closer so that their noses almost touch. 

Ten feels like he’s going crazy. He thinks of doing something even crazier, like knocking their foreheads together, but then he feels something tickle his nose and so he turns away and sneezes. “Ah, shit. It’s cold.”

Yuta opens his eyes and laughs. “Yeah. Right. We should head back.”

“Yeah.” The whatever mood they had is ruined.

Yuta swims to the end of the pool and helps Ten stand up. His grip is strong around Ten’s hand. Ten notices he has goosebumps all over his body. For how long have they been floating there? He observes his fingertips are all wrinkly. He sneezes again.

“If I fall sick tomorrow, I’m blaming you,” Ten says.

“You won’t if you take a hot shower now,” Yuta says, wrapping a towel around him.

Ten hums and asks, “So, should we meet up tomorrow then?”

“Sure,” Yuta wraps his own towel over his shoulders. “Be prepared to become the next Michael Phelps.”

Ten laughs. “So I could outswim you? It’s on.”

—

“So you’re telling me,” Jaehyun starts, “that you went ahead and almost drowned, then Yuta saved you and then you guys flirted and almost kissed and tomorrow you’re going to get swimming lessons from him.”

“Basically, yeah,” Ten says. They’re currently sitting on the couch of their shared dorm living room, watching Netflix, five feet apart although they are gay. 

Jaehyun munches on his chips. “This is insane. You’re insane.”

Ten groans, “Shut up, I’m so embarrassed and confused.”

“I was right about Yuta not hating you,” Jaehyun says, “ _and_ I was right about the football part.”

“Congratulations,” Ten says. “Now what?”

“Just go out with him.”

“No, I mean the budget cut. It’s still an issue. And why would I go out with him?” 

Jaehyun deadpans, “Don't you like him?” 

Ten scratches the back of his neck. “No? I don’t know? I don’t think so?”

“Come on, this is like the ‘I realized and then I couldn’t stop realizing’ meme. You understanding that what you and Yuta had was a misunderstanding, you seeing him in a new light, you finally falling in love with him,” Jaehyun rambles. 

“Finally?” Ten furrows his brows.

“I had a bet with Johnny,” Jaehyun admits. “My take was that you were in denial about Yuta. Please say I’m right. We bet on the new PS5.”

“You dirty jocks,” Ten says. “Shame on you.”

“Listen, Johnny told me that Yuta kind of has had a thing for you since forever. I’m not supposed to tell you this, but, well.” 

Ten laughs, “Just how bad do you want that PS5? It’s not even out yet.”

“Really bad.” Jaehyun clasps his greasy hands into a prayer and squeezes his eyes. 

“Hm,” Ten muses. “Much to think about.”

“Open your third eye, Ten,” Jaehyun encourages him. “Do it for me. I’ll let you game with me whenever you want.”

“Give me your chips,” Ten sighs. He grabs the bowl from Jaehyun’s side and puts it in the middle. 

He turns his attention back to the TV while processing what happened this afternoon. To be honest, Jaehyun's kind of right. Maybe this whole thing was a misunderstanding after all. Ten can't say he likes Yuta yet because like a strong word for him and he can’t change his emotions in a day, but it’s a start.

Now that Ten thinks about it, perhaps Yuta did actually have friendly intentions all along. He remembers Yuta once wished him a happy New Year when they both attended Johnny’s party during the holidays. Yuta did try and talk to Ten then, but Ten had drunk so much he physically couldn’t stand on his feet. It was Yuta who helped him get to the bathroom and it was also Yuta who got him some water and stayed with him until Jaehyun dragged him by the neck back to the dorms. 

It’s funny how the memory was almost erased from Ten’s head. In his defense, he was really plastered and woke up the next day with everything around him feeling fuzzy. After that Yuta checked up on him when he visited their apartment to game with Jaehyun and asked him if he was feeling alright but Ten misinterpreted his words and shrugged him off and went back to sleep. 

There have been many instances like that. Like  
when one time Ten fell asleep right in the library and woke up with Yuta’s jacket thrown over his shoulders. Back then Ten had no idea whose jacket it was so he brought it back home until Jaehyun pointed out who the owner was, which made Ten’s eyes bulge in disbelief. He wanted to return it to Yuta the following day, but Yuta said he could keep it. 

Embarrassment and shame creep up Ten’s neck, but he wills them down. He, Ten realizes, is a clown. How has he been so blind to the fact that Yuta has been nice to him? 

“Thinking about Yuta?” Jaehyun asks him.

“Shut up,” Ten says. He completely forgot they were still watching Netflix. They’re on their third or fourth chick flick movie of the night, Ten has lost count by now, and his attention span is betraying him. “Maybe I am.”

“Are you finally realizing he’s attractive and nice and that you might like him a little? 

“When you get your PS5,” Ten replies, “I’ll be the co-owner.”

Jaehyun grins and knocks shoulders with him. “Of course.”

—

Ten shows up at the pool the next morning with goggles and a swimming cap he borrowed from Jaehyun. Yuta blows the water wings and puts them on Ten’s arms. 

“This is so embarrassing,” Ten says, having flashbacks to when he was a child and his parents took him to the beach. “I feel like a five-year-old.”

Yuta shakes his head. “It’s cute. There’s a shallow end on the other side of the pool, it’s better to go there.”

“Are you serious right now?” Ten feels his jaw drop. “You couldn't have told me this yesterday?”

Yuta starts laughing. “Sorry, my bad. I forgot.”

“Unbelievable,” Ten scoffs. 

The shallow end is indeed shallow. Ten can touch the ground for once, and the water rises only up to his stomach. Yuta tells him to try and take a horizontal position and to extend his arms while he moves his legs. Ten manages to stay afloat. It’s a small victory, but to Ten it’s huge. 

Ten realizes that floating in a pool with no worries of drowning is kind of fun. He splashes at Yuta and jokes with him, and by the end of their little lesson he manages to find balance in water without the water wings.

“Alright, let’s try doing some strokes,” Yuta announces. 

Ten’s heart drops. “Already? No, no way, I refuse. I’ll embarrass myself and sink and die.”

“No you won’t, we’re still at the shallow end,” Yuta says. “Don’t worry.” He doesn’t make fun of Ten, or retort with anything sarcastic. It’s weird, but it’s also really nice. “I’ll hold on to you to support you. You’ll be fine.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Yuta explains to him how to do a backstroke. “This one is quite simple, you just focus on pushing your palm underwater but then relaxing your hand when you throw it back. Your arms are kind of like windmills, if that makes sense, and your legs need to be on the same level as the water.”

Ten thinks Yuta would make a good instructor. Ten nods and lies on his back. He feels Yuta’s hand on the small of his back, hovering but not quite touching. 

“Relax your head and neck,” he hears Yuta say through the water. “You shouldn’t crane your head up, your body should be straight.” 

Ten tries to follow Yuta’s instructions. His backstroke comes out all wobbly and incorrect but hey, he’s actually swimming and not drowning.

Yuta is smiling at him. “Let’s try doing a breaststroke next.”

Doing breaststrokes makes Ten feel a little like he's a frog. Swimming is honestly great, he thinks, it’s not quite like football where you stress over everything. It’s relaxing. He tells Yuta that.

“Yeah, swimming is a great way to unwind,” Yuta says. “It has many health benefits as well. I always go to the pool when I want to get rid of the stress, and it works great during finals week.”

“You have the energy to swim laps in the middle of exams? You’re crazy.”

Yuta laughs, “Hey, it’s very effective. You should try it some time. We can swim together when finals roll around.”

“If you want to go on a date with me,” Ten mimics Yuta’s words from yesterday, “just say so.” 

It’s almost unnoticeable, but Yuta reddens. “Having swimming as a first date is kind of low,” he says.

“Well, you’ve already seen my half-naked body and I’ve seen yours,” Ten retorts, “So there’s no need to worry about that. But if you want to, you could take me to a cafe or something.”

“Really?” Yuta asks. 

“Yeah,” Ten replies, splashing Yuta in the process. Yuta shrieks but splashes back. It starts out easy, but then Ten decides to tackle Yuta right down into the water, and it’s all lighthearted and fun, only Yuta grabs onto him just like yesterday and they both go underwater together. And then as they rise and gasp for air, Ten finds his hands tangled in Yuta’s hair and Yuta’s hands are around his waist and then they’re kissing, and oh. 

Yuta’s hand moves to cup his jaw and Ten sighs as he kisses back. Ten never imagined he would ever be kissing Yuta, moreover in a pool out of all places, but it somehow all ties in together. Yuta’s lips are hot and wet on his and it’s actually kind of inappropriate to be kissing in a public place but Ten doesn’t really care. He pulls away to gasp for breath.

“Whoa,” he pants, “never thought our swimming lesson would turn into this.”

“Kissing lessons, a classic,” Yuta laughs. His eyes reflect the blue from the pool. He looks so pretty. “You certainly don’t need any.”

Ten smiles. “So what I’m assuming is that you don’t hate me.”

Yuta rolls his eyes, “Never did. What _I’m_ assuming is that you don’t hate me either.”

“Maybe I don’t,” Ten says. He cups Yuta’s face, runs his thumbs over the apples of his cheeks. “You’re so pretty.”

“So you only like me for my looks?” Yuta questions playfully. 

“And your body,” Ten grins, sliding his hands down to Yuta’s shoulders and arms. “Damn, you were right. Up close you’re even more buff.” 

Yuta giggles. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

“What an honour,” Ten says. He knows his body is toned and lean, thank you very much. Years of sport and dancing on the sidelines does miracles to one’s physique. He then feels cold again. “I think we should get out of here, or I’ll definitely get sick and then our date will be over before it even started.”

Yuta’s smile is wide. “Well, we can't have that happening, can we? Let’s go.” 

Ten climbs out of the pool and sits on the edge. It’s cool on the surface, but he doesn’t mind it. “Can you show me how you swim? I’ve never seen you swim actually.” 

“Sure,” Yuta replies. He grabs his goggles from where they were lying above the gutter and puts them on. He does a lap of a freestyle stroke, and yeah, he looks good and all that jazz, but Ten will never be able to outswim him in all of his lifetimes. His movements are so precise and fluid, and he’s _fast_ , taking a breath only after seven strokes, and holy shit. Ten thinks he might be a little bit smitten. 

Yuta hoists himself up on his arms as he gets out of the water. “How was I?”

Ten fans himself, “You’re really asking me? You know you’re the hot shit.”

“Yes,” Yuta laughs, “but some validation is good once in a while.”

“Well,” Ten says, standing up, “if you pay for our date I can tell you how nice your long hair looks, and for another additional small fee of a kiss I can tell you how nicely your arm muscles flex when you move.”

“How generous,” Yuta grins, reaching out for a towel and wrapping it over Ten. “I accept.”

—

“You know, we still need to do something about the budget cut,” Ten says, laying his head in Yuta’s lap in his dorm room. 

“You’re right. I forgot about that,” Yuta replies, playing with his hair. “You know, I know I like you and all, but I still think we need the budget more for the pool expenses.”

Ten narrows his eyes. He sits up. “No, we need it more. I know we’re dating but we still need new cleats. Our game is soon.”

Yuta thinks for a moment. “You’re right,” he says.

Ten blinks. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Yuta says. “You have a match soon, and semifinals are important, and your gear is kind of getting old. You can take the budget.”

“Wait,” Ten rambles, “but you guys need to rent the pool. If you don’t, where will you go? To a public one? The memberships are more expensive. You need the budget more than us.”

“No, Ten, think of the game. It’s right around the corner.” 

“No, Yuta,” Ten sighs, “the pool. You guys literally can’t do without it. Meanwhile we can play a game without new shoes.”

“Ten, listen–”

“Yuta–”

Ten stares at Yuta and Yuta stares back, gaze unwavering. It feels familiar, like their past bickering, only now its reasons are different.

“Let’s play rock paper scissors,” Yuta suggests.

Ten laughs, “Why didn’t we think of that sooner?”

“It was what we were supposed to do, but we got a little carried away.”

“And now look where it got us,” Ten grins.

“A near drowning experience and several days later, yes.”

“Shut up,” Ten grunts, “you promised we would never talk about that again.” 

He and Yuta face each other, respective hands balled into fists. Yuta does the rock paper scissors count and then they both throw out their choices. 

It’s a tie.

**Author's Note:**

> yes yuta is sexy and buff here what about it


End file.
